Are you still prepping your evening dinners on outdated, ugly, cracked countertops? If so, now is a good time for an upgrade.
While you may be wary of renovations, upgrading your kitchen is one of the safest ways to ensure at least a partial return on investment.
If you are ready to update your kitchen, but unsure what material you want to use for your countertops, keep reading. We’re going to have a look at the differences between two of the most popular choices for kitchen countertops – quartz and granite.
1) Appearance
Today, granite is available in tons of colours and pattern. This means you can find something to blend in or stand out as a centerpiece. Since granite is natural, no two granite countertops are exactly the same and you can rest assured that your next door neighbor won’t steal your design idea. It also means that you might have a hard time finding a granite stone design that fits into your kitchen.
Quartz is manufactured. It looks like stone, but lets you add in custom design elements. This means the selection process is much easier than finding the perfect slab of granite.
2) Maintenance
A granite countertop needs to be wiped down regularly with soap and water or a mild cleaner. Any spill should be attended to quickly because certain liquids can stain granite. Granite is also porous, which means that these spills can leak into the stone. Granite countertops also need to be resealed at least once a year.
Quartz in non-porous, which means that spills or bits of food won’t get lodged in your countertop. It is also more resistant to damage.
If you want slightly lower maintenance, quartz may be a better choice for you. While you still need to be mindful of spills, these countertops don’t need to be regularly resealed.
3) Durability
When making an investment on countertops, it is important to know the expected lifespan. Both granite and quartz are very durable materials. Granite is resistant to heat, but is very porous so is likely to stain.
Quartz is harder than granite, so is a tad more durable. It also isn’t porous like granite, so is harder to stain. The polymers and resins in quartz makes it more flexible than natural stone, thus making it more chip and scratch-resistant.
However, this also means that quartz is less heat resistant than granite. High heat can damage quartz. Be sure to use pot holders when placing hot pans on the counter.
4) Environmental Considerations
Granite must go through a long process to land in your kitchen. It must be quarried and transported. If you seek high-end pieces of granite, it could travel across continents before landing in your kitchen! If you are set on granite, try to shop as locally as possible and check out salvage shops.
Quartz is a bit more friendly to the environment because it is manufactured. This also means material doesn’t need to be transported far distances.
Choose the Countertops of Your Dreams
As you can see, there are a few key differences between quartz vs granite. No matter what look you are going for, both options may fit your needs.
If you are ready to talk about some countertop options, please contact us and we will help you find exactly what you are looking for.
